The present Princeton Public Library opened its doors on June 8, 1905.  This was the third library in Princeton.  The first library was destroyed by 1886.  The second one that was built by the Princeton Library Association in 1887 was brick and is still standing on the east side of the square. The Library was on the second floor and a business rented out the top floor.  In 1903 The Library Association contacted Andrew Carnegie for funds to build a new library as they had outgrown the present building.   The Library Association dissolved and the Princeton Public Library Board of Trustees was appointed. Andrew Carnegie donated $15,000 with the stipulation that the Library be free to everyone, purchase land to build the library and insure that there were funds to maintain the library of $1,500 annually.  The Board purchased the lot on the corner of Hart and Water for $2,000. The architect firm of Harris and Shopbell was selected with Bean & Davis of Princeton to construct the library at a cost of $11,143.50.  When you enter the library on the west side the inner doors, the brass chandelier, the stained glass panel and the fireplaces are all original.

The Princeton Public Library was then expanded in the 1980s, and again in 2019, welcoming our newest and most current building structure.